1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a consumable liquid serving assembly for enabling consumers to self-serve consumable liquid from the assembly. More particularly, the present invention relates to a confectionary liquid fountain assembly comprising a sculpture assembly for providing consumers with both pooled and flowing confectionary liquid sources. The confectionary liquid sources cooperate with the sculpture assembly for enabling the consumer to coat morsels of food and the like with confectionary liquid, such as chocolate, without having to contact the actual structure of the fountain assembly.
2. Description of Prior Art
Confectionary liquid fountains such as liquid chocolate fountains and the like are known in the prior art. Some of the more popular means for decoratively providing a flow of liquid chocolate are essentially taught by Muir et al. as described in more detail hereinafter. Other decorative fountains and means for coating articles with chocolate are also briefly described.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,530,530, ('530 Patent) which issued to Peterson, discloses a Decorative Fountain. The '530 Patent teaches decorative fountains, assemblies for fountains and decorative fountain kits. An assembly for a decorative fountain includes an overflow container defining a reservoir and an outlet in fluid communication with the reservoir, a support surface defining one or more apertures and positioned over the reservoir for supporting a drinking vessel, a support conduit defining a passageway for fluid and having a first end fluidly connected to the outlet and an opposite end defining an aperture. A bottle inlet is in fluid communication with the support conduit and is configured to mate with an inlet opening defined through the base of the beverage container so that the aperture is in fluid communication with the vessel. A pump is disposed within the reservoir and is operable to pump fluid from the reservoir through the passageway and into the vessel.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,695,222 ('222 Patent), which issued to Lin, discloses a Decorative Fountain. The '222 Patent teaches a decorative fountain comprising a hollow body having a recessed area provided with a nappe zone and a shower zone, and a reservoir defined in a bottom portion of the hollow body for receiving therein water. A water pump assembly is received in the reservoir for pumping water in the reservoir to the inlet of the control valve to selectively sprinkle water out of the primary outlet, the secondary outlet or the third outlet. A cover is mounted on top of the hollow body to cover the recessed area and has a controlling knob rotatably mounted inside the cover. Therefore, rotation of the controlling knob is able to control activation of the primary outlet, the secondary outlet and the third outlet to sprinkle water from the reservoir to either the nappe zone or the shower zone.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,730,344 ('344 Patent), which issued to Sanders et al., discloses a Method and Apparatus of Coating Articles. The '344 Patent teaches coating methods whereby liquid milk chocolate may be applied to articles such as confectionery bars. The bars are conveyed by conveyor under a curtain of liquid chocolate issuing through an outlet slot in a trough. A layer of air is caused to flow through the outlet slot in the trough so as to modify the flow characteristics of the curtain. The layer of air permits a curtain of even thickness to be achieved.
United States Patent Application Publication No. US2001/0038020, authored by Schalow et al., discloses a dispenser for dispensing viscous liquid from a flexible viscous liquid containing bag having a dispensing opening is provided. The dispenser includes a support plate that is adapted to support the flexible viscous liquid containing bag. A squeegee carriage having a squeegee attached thereto is also provided. The squeegee carriage is mounted for movement from an initial, upper position downwardly along the support plate to a lower position. The squeegee is adapted to press the flexible viscous liquid containing bag against the support plate to squeeze the viscous liquid from the dispensing opening. A flexible bag for use with the dispenser is also provided.
United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2005/0092852 and United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2005/0092853, authored by Muir et al., disclose a fountain for heating and distributing fluidic material is manufactured using various processes and materials so that the fountain is more easily cleaned and sanitized, has improved performance, and is easier to assemble. In one embodiment, the chocolate fountain includes a heating element encased in an aluminum enclosure. A basin containing chocolate is heated by contact with the aluminum enclosure. Because the aluminum enclosure has a relatively high thermal conductivity, the basin is heating substantially uniformly, thus reducing the occurrence of hot spots. Additionally, a plastic auger having a spiral flight rotates and lifts the melted chocolate upward to a top end of cylinder that houses the auger. The use of a plastic auger advantageously eliminates welding artifacts on the auger, such as burrs and pits, on which melted chocolate may accumulate. Accordingly, the plastic auger is easy to clean.
From an inspection of the foregoing disclosures and from a consideration of other art generally known to exist it will be seen that the prior art fails to teach a combination liquid chocolate fountain assembly comprising a base assembly, a conduit assembly, a decorative sculpture, and an annular basin for providing users with at least two distinct pooled liquid chocolate sources (providing two types of chocolate) and a flowing liquid chocolate source whereby the user or consumer need not ever contact the structure of the fountain assembly in order to coat morsels with liquid chocolate. The prior art thus perceives a need for a combination liquid chocolate fountain assembly or serving assembly comprising a base assembly, a conduit assembly, a decorative sculpture, and an annular basin for providing users or consumers with at least two pooled liquid chocolate sources and a flowing liquid chocolate source whereby the user or consumer need not ever contact the structure of the fountain assembly in order to coat morsels with liquid chocolate.